THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2024

MEETING AGENDA

of the Metuchen Board of Education

Metuchen High School

400 Grove Avenue

Metuchen, NJ  08840

1. Call to Order

2. Flag Salute

3. Notice of Meeting

I hereby make this statement to indicate compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act known as Chapter 231 of the Public Laws of New Jersey, 1975, which became effective 90 days after enactment, January 19, 1976.

Notice of this meeting was given by providing the location, time and date of this meeting, and posting of the same on the front door of the Board of Education offices, by delivering copies to the Borough Hall and the Metuchen Public Library, The Home News and Tribune, The Star Ledger, and by filing a copy with the Borough Clerk as prescribed by this law.

4. Roll Call

5. Showcase of Success

6. Meeting Open to the Public (for any topic)

7. Presentations  

❖    NJPGA Results Presentation

8. Reports

• President’s Report

• Superintendent's Report

• Committee Reports

9. Old Business

10. New Business

11. Approval of Minutes of the Board of Education Meetings

12. Meeting Open to the Public (for any topic)

13. Recommendations of the Superintendent of Schools

(at this time the Board will take formal action on the following items – see attachments)

Often times it may appear to members of our audience that the Board of Education takes action with very little comment and in many cases a unanimous vote. Before a matter is placed on the agenda at a public meeting, the administration has thoroughly reviewed the matter with the Superintendent of Schools. If the Superintendent is satisfied that the matter is ready to be presented to the Board of Education, it is then referred to the appropriate board committee. The members of the board committee work with administration and the Superintendent to assure that the members fully understand the matter. When the committee is satisfied with the matter, it is presented to the Board of Education for discussion before any final action is taken. Only then, is it placed on the agenda for action at a public meeting.

1. PERSONNEL

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    Appointment - Lunch Aides

    Move to approve the following lunch aides in the Metuchen Public Schools for the 2024-2025 school year, effective August 28, 2024, pending criminal history clearance:

2.    Instructional and Non-Instructional Stipends

Move to approve the following Instructional and Non-Instructional Stipends for the 2024-2025 school year as listed on the attached chart. 

3.    Appointment - Event Staff

    Move to approve the following Event Staff for the 2024-2025 school year, at the rate of $55 per event:

4.    Appointment- Cash Box

    Move to approve Maureen Azzara for the 2024-2025 school year to handle the Cash Box at athletic events, at the following rates:

5.    Informal Mentor Teachers

    Move to approve the following staff to serve as an informal mentor for the 2024-2025 school year, effective August 26, 2024, to be paid at a rate of $50/hour, not to exceed six hours: 

6.    Formal Mentor Teachers

    Move to approve the following formal mentor teachers to work with the following mentee teachers for the 2024 – 2025 school year: 

7.    Salary Adjustment - Custodial Longevity

    Move to approve a change in total salary for Christopher Comtess, Custodian, from $51,293/year to $51,539/year as a result of completing 20 years of service, effective September 1, 2024.

8.    Leave of Absence Extension - Certificated Staff

    Move to extend the leave of absence of Sofia Lopes, 4th Grade Teacher at Campbell School, through approximately January 2, 2025 (Agenda 12/19/23, Section 13 A4).

9.    Leave of Absence - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the leave of absence of Adrianna Reyes, ESL Teacher at Campbell School, effective approximately November 25, 2024 through approximately April 22, 2025. 

10.    Resignation - Paraprofessional 

    Move to accept the resignation of Victoria Dunyak, Paraprofessional at Moss School, effective August 9, 2024. 

11.    Appointment - Leave Replacement 

    Move to approve the appointment of Laura Petty, Leave Replacement for Samantha Murphy, Special Education Teacher at Campbell School, effective approximately September 18, 2024 through approximately February 27, 2025, at a rate of $311.76/day, pending NJ certification.

12.    ESY Rescind

    Move to rescind and approve the following teacher for the 2024 Extended School Year Staff (Agenda 6/25/2024, Section 13,  A9).

13.    Appointment - Paraprofessional

    Move to approve the appointment of Mili O'Brien, Paraprofessional at Moss School, for the 2024-2025 school year, at a salary of $24,852/year, effective August 26, 2024 through June 30, 2025. 

14.    Leave of Absence Extension - Bus Driver

    Move to extend the leave of absence of Anna Szwast, Bus Driver, through approximately August 30, 2024 (Agenda 5/14/24, Section 13, A8).

15.    Appointment - Leave Replacement

    Move to approve the appointment of Danielle Pallotta, Leave Replacement for Michelle Herold, Integrated Preschool Teacher at Moss School for the 2024-2025 school year, effective August 26, 2024 through approximately February 4, 2025, at a rate of $311.76/day. 

16.    Special Education Program Trainers

    Move to approve the following staff members to prepare and provide trainings for special education programs and mandated professional development for the 2024-2025 school year, at the hourly rate of $50/hour: 

17.    EMS Library Storage Project - Summer 2024

    Move to approve Charmane Montgomery to complete EMS library storage project, over the 2024 summer, at a rate of $50/hour, not to exceed a total of 10 hours. 

18.    WIDA Screening

    Move to approve the following staff to conduct WIDA screening for summer 2024, at the rate of $50/hour, not to exceed a total of 5 hours each (Title III funded).

19.    2024 New Teacher Orientation 

    Move to approve the following mentors to work with new teachers at the New Teacher Orientation on August 21, 2024, at the rate of $50/hour for up to 6 hours each.

20.    Paraprofessional Mentors

    Move to approve the following staff to serve as Paraprofessional Mentors, for a stipend in the amount of $250 for the 2024-2025 school year:

21.    2024 New Teacher Orientation Workshop

    Move to approve William Schlavis as a Presenter for New Teacher Orientation Workshop, at a rate of $50/hour, not to exceed 2 hours.

22.    Leave Replacement - Rescind

    Move to rescind Rebecca Porretto as Leave Replacement for Elizabeth Rentenberg, Special Education Teacher at Campbell Elementary School from September 10, 2024 through February 11, 2025 (Agenda 5/28/2024, Section 13, A2).

23.    Appointment - Paraprofessional

    Move to approve the appointment of Anthony Caponigro, Paraprofessional at Metuchen High School, for the 2024-2025 school year, at a salary of $22,987/year, effective August 26, 2024 through June 30, 2025, pending criminal history clearance. 

24.    High Impact Tutoring Grant Project Management Stipends

    Move to approve the following teachers to receive a grand funded project management stipend for coordinating tutoring services, as allowable in the High Impact Tutoring Grant, to be paid 1.2 hours per assigned student, for summer 2024, at a rate of $50/hour, not to exceed a total of $5,000. 

25.    ESY Special Services Certificated Staff - Revision

    Move to approve Brianna Fortino, Speech Therapist, for 5 additional days of 2024 summer work at the rate of $311.76/day (Agenda 6/25/2024, Section 13, A9).

26.    Leave of Absence - Paraprofessional

    Move to approve the Leave of Absence of Laurie Toth, Paraprofessional at Campbell School, effective September 6, 2024 through approximately October 4, 2024.

27.    Appointment - Certificated Staff 

    Move to approve the appointment of Laura Vergara, Math RTI Teacher at Edgar School, for the 2024-2025 school year, at a salary of $76,755/year, Step 3J, effective August 26, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

28.    Appointment - Substitute Bus Drivers

    Move to approve the appointment of the following, as Substitute Bus Drivers for the 2024-2025 school year, effective August 28, 2024, pending criminal history clearance:

----------------------------end of personnel section--------------------------

2. FINANCE

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    IDEA Grant for 2024-2025

    Move to approve the IDEA grant allocation for the 2024-2025 school year and the use of IDEA grant allocations towards special education needs:

2.    IDEA Grant Allocation for Salary

    Move to approve Moss Paraprofessional Sandra Spinelli's salary of $24,613 to be partially funded by the IDEA grant, up to the amount of $18,516.

3.    FDU Orton Gillingham

    Move to approve Lindsey Omark to coordinate the FDU Orton Gillingham Reading Professional Development, funded by the IDEA grant, at a rate of $50/hour, not to exceed $1,250.

4.    Stipend - MHS and EMS Unified Club Advisors 

    Move to approve the following staff as Unified Club Advisors, for the 2024-2025 school year, funded by the IDEA grant:

5.    Special Education Services

    Move to approve Speech Tree to provide the following services for the 2024-2025 school year:

• Comprehensive feeding evaluation and report - $500 

• Feeding Consultation -  $100

• Comprehensive Speech Language Evaluation and report  - $400

• Speech and Language Therapy - $84/hour

• Staff Training/Professional Development - $125/hour

6.    Technology Equipment Disposal

    Move to approve the disposal of the obsolete equipment on the attachment.

7.    Payment of Bills

a)  Board Secretary’s Certification

Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6:20-2A.10(d), the Board Secretary has certified that as of August 13, 2024 no budgetary line item accounts have obligations and payments which exceed the amount appropriated by the Board of Education.

         ___________________________________                  _______________

Michael A. Harvier, Board Secretary                            Date

b)  Approve the Following Items Submitted by the Board Secretary

Payment of bills and claims, as shown on the attached list(s) that have been certified by the Board of Education and filed in the Business Office.

----------------------------end of finance section--------------------------

3. POLICY

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

Nothing at this time. 

----------------------------end of policy section--------------------------

4. CURRICULUM

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Grant 2024-2025

    Move to approve the district’s ESSA Grant for 2024-2025 school year to accept the allocations and intended use as per the application.

2.    James Stronge Observation

    Move to approve the James Stronge observation and evaluation system for the 2024-2025 school year.

3.    Corrective Action Plan 2024-2025

    Move to approve implementation of the Corrective Action Plan for WIDA ACCESS testing for the 2024-2025 school year. 

4.    Title III Immigrant Funds

    Move to approve Guzman Educational Consultants, LLC to provide professional development and coaching for the 2024-2025 school year, to support the needs of multilingual learners who are Immigrant status, through Title III Immigrant funds, not to exceed $4,887.

5.    Title III Funds

    Move to approve Guzman Educational Consultants, LLD to provide professional development for the 2024-2025 school year, to support teachers in meeting the educational needs of multilingual learners in content areas, through Title III funds, not to exceed $1,000.

6.    Literacy Coaching Services 

    Move to approve BDO Consulting Services LLC to provide professional development and literacy coaching services for the 2024-2025 school year, at a rate of $1,500/day, not to exceed $60,000, partially funded by ESSA Title IIA and IDEA.

----------------------------end of curriculum section--------------------------

14. Meeting Open to Public (for any topic)

15. Announcements

16. Motion to Go Into Executive Session (when applicable)

Resolution to Close Meeting

BE IT RESOLVED, pursuant to the Sunshine Act, N.J.S. 10:4-12 and 13, that the Board of Education will now meet in executive session to discuss _____________________________________ and that matters discussed will be disclosed to the public as soon as the reason for confidentiality no longer exist.

17. Adjournment